Girdle



June 18, 1963 A. GoLDsTEIN GIRDLE Fild Nw'. 14. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 18, 1963 A. GoLDsTElN 3,094,126

GIRDLE Filed Nov. 14, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 18, 1963 A. GoLDsTElN 3,094,125

GIRDLE Filed Nov. 14, 1960 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent O 3,094,126 GIRDLE Arthur Goldstein, New York, N.Y., assignor to Tru Balance Corsets, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 68,720 6 Claims. (Cl. 12S-529) This invention relates to foundation undergarments, and more particularly to an elastic fabric body molding garment having combined utility as a girdle or foundation, and panty.

The invention is concerned with the provision of elastic fabric undergarments having as their object the molding and body forming influence of intense elastic fabric at at least below the waistline, to and including the thighs or upper leg portions, to provide what maybe referred to as elastic panties.

The sleekness of molding of the figure and the ability to remain in relatively fixed position which might heretofore have been provided by such garments as panties has been eected by means of intensive elastic fabric constriction, which constriction becomes more objectionable as the elastic molding influence is increased, an example of such undesirable garment being a corset which is of length limited to about the upper crotch and which omits the thigh or leg enveloping portions. Because of the intense 'and laborious manipulation required to apply, remove and reapply the garment for dressing and undressing and for purposes of performing the natural daily body functions, such intense elasticity has not been successfully embodied in a panty garment.

l-t is an object of this invention to provide in an elastic garment extending at least below the waist to and including the thigh or lupper leg enveloping portions, the abdomen, buttocks and thigh, the sleeking characteristics of an elastic panty with the intensive molding effects of a corset, in a more ecient manner, overcoming the objectionable characteristics of the former.

Particularly, the invention resides in [and has as its object to provide in an elastic garment, such as a pantygirdle, an effective fly for the crotch and anal clef-t, which molds the body without abrasion, chaing and like irritation present in a .panty type elastic fabric garment, and to combine with the same, features which have the molding influence of thigh and limb articulation of the wearer with respect to the enveloping portions of the abdomen and buttocks, thereby to secure a relatively non-shifting garment, and over-all sleekness below the waistline, including the thighs, and at the same time avoid the necessity for the unusual labor of removing the intensively constrioting garment in the performance of the natural bodily functions after the garment has been applied, whereby the intensive molding eifect of a short length girdle is combined more elfectively with the articulating component of leg movement.

To attain these ob-jeots :and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIGURE l is a front perspective view illustrating the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective View of the same;

FIGURE la is a magnified section on the line 1ct-Ila of FIGURE l;

FIGURE lb is a section on the line lb-lb of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 2a is a magnied section on the line Za-Za of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2b is a section on the line ZIJ--Zb of FIG- URE 2.

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FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a front panel pattern blank;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a rear panel pattern blank;

FIGURE 5 is a front perspective view showing the garment distended to illustrate the cross pull;

FIGURE 6 is a rear view in the crouched position of the wearer;

FIGURE 7 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a rear perspective view of the same;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective exploded View of the component elements of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

In general, the invention consists in embodying in |an elastic garment or in an over-all full length foundation garment which combines a brassiere portion and panty portion, the non-riding or relatively non-displaceable, non-hiking properties of womens panties with the high molding influence of a corset. This is accomplished by utilizing the more intensive tac-tion of elastic fabric which covers the abdomen and buttocks runder the articulating influence of the limbs to effect a cross pull without a tendency to become displaced on relaxation of said pull, to the end that new and unobvious advantages are achieved. By cross pulling and enveloping elastic panels from over the medial frontal line of the abdomen and buttocks downwardly, iangularly toward the opposed portion of the body including the upper thighs or legs, particularly along the crotch lines in the front or below the anal clef-t in the rear, a highly useful garment is provided. Not only does articulation of the limbs serve to intensify the elastic molding action, but by following the crotch lines elastically, the fabric elasticity may be greatly intensified without sacrificing comfort. This feature is accomplished by outlining the lower edges of the panels which cross over along the angularly and downwardly directed portions at the crotch lines in the front and/ or below the anal cleft in the rear, `to the end that by leaving these lower edges disconnected, to define a fly or slit, further combined advantages are achieved. These further advantages reside in eliminating chaling and abrasion, while avoiding the necessity for undressing to perform the natural bodily functions of urination and defecation, and to the further end that the ardous task of manipulating a highly elastic garment is minimized.

For an understanding of the invention, reference is now made to the drawing which, in the preferred embodiment,V .shows the same in :a panty-girdle 10 extending from a waistline portion 11 to leg or thigh cover-ing portions l2 and v13 for the right and left legs, respectively.

One simple manner of making the panty is from pattern blanks shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Pattern blank 15 constitutes the blank from which the lleft front, 16, and right front, 17, panel sections of the garment are each made. Blank 18 constitutes the blank from which the right rear 19 and left rear, 20, panel sections are each made. Symmetry of the garment along the front medial line necessitates only two such pattern blanks 15 and 18 to be outlined, and for making the garment from elastic fabric, two of each of the elastic fabric blanks 15 and @18 are cut, with a reversal in position of the blanks for directing the facing sides of the fabric in the same direction, as will be readily understood.

The front left and right panel blanks l15 and 18, respectively, are preferably cut from warp knit, two way stretch elastic fabric and by referring to the illustration of the blanks in FIGURES 3 and 4, it will be observed that the blank 15 from which the front left panel and front right panel sections are formed has outer vertical edges 21 and 22 positioned on the face and reverse of the panel, corresponding to the left and right outer vertical edges of the garment seams.

The face waistline forming edges 23 and, on the reversely cut blank, the waistline edge 24, are each cnt approximately normal to the vertical edges and for a Wldth to extend in each panel 15 and 18 beyond the center line of the garment-outlining position indicated by the center line 25 in dot and dash lines.

'Ihe lower edge 26 and, for the reversely cut blank 15, -the right panel lower edge 26a are each likewise extended to cover a section into the legs and of a width to fall beyond the extension of the center line 25 when the garment is assembled.

The inner upper edges 27 and 28 of the left front and right front panels extend to apices 29 `and 30, from which points the edges are redirected angularly downwardly into the edges 31 and 32 at the transverse medial section, preferably arcuately, to correspond to the angularity and curvature of the left and right crotch lines, and then extend substantially vertically at the lower edges 31a and 32a to meet the lower edges 26 and 26a of the respective panels.

The pattern blank 18 is similarly employed to provide rear panel sections, 33 for the right and for the left 34, and it is deemed sufficient to indicate that the outer vertical edges 35 and 36 extend from the waistline 37 to the thigh line 3S in vertical length and inwardly at least past the rear center line of the garment outlined by the dot and dash line 39.

As in connection with the front panel blank patterns 15, the upper inner edges 40 and 41 of the right and left rear panels are of a width to cross the vertical anal cleft of the wearer, the over-the-center extension of the upper edges 4t) and 41 as well as the over-the-center extension of the edges 27 and 28 of the front panels being variable but not excluding a width equal to one-half of the width of the garment, as will appear more clearly as this description proceeds in connection with another embodiment.

As described in connection with the front panels, the upper inner edges 40 and 41 for the rear right and rear left panels extend downwardly but to rather flat apices 42 and 43, and then are outwardly redirected downwardly and angularly, preferably in cleft covering line edges 44 `and 45 to vthe vertically downwardly extended edges 46 and 47 to the thigh line 38.

It is preferred in using warp knit, two way stretch elastic fabric that the primary elasticity, by reason of the dominant elastic threads, be horizontally extended, as indicated by the force stretch arrows diagram 48,the length of the arrows being in proportion to the preferred relative magnitude of elasticity.

With pairs of pattern blanks 15 and 18 of elastic fabric blanks so provided, the garment is assembled by joining the vertical edges of a front right panel 16 with a rear right panel 19 at the vertical right seam 49, and joining lthe front left panel 17 with the rear left panel 20 to form the vertical seam 50. It is preferred to fold the edges to reinforce them and join them by an elastic fagotting stitch to intensify the two Way stretch at the side edges. The inner vertical edges are then joined to provide the vertical right seam 51 `and the vertical left seam 52 from the contiguous edges 31a to 47 and 32a to 46, and form the thigh or leg covering sections 12 and `13, respectively. Here too, the seams are preferably made by folding the raw edges of the fabric and joining the same by an elastic zig zag stitch of elastic thread.

The upper yinner edges 27, 28 of the front panel sections 16 and 17 are then overlapped so that the center lines coincide and are stitched along `the vertical seam lines 53, 54, leaving the downwardly directed arcuate edges 32 of the panel 16 unattached from a line along one leg seam 51 to the Iapex 29, and leaving the other arcuate edge of the panel 17 unattached from a line along the other leg seam 52 to the apex 30, thus providing a doublelayered abdomen apron 55 upwardly to the waistline 11.

a Additional flatness-molding effect of the abdomen covering portion may be provided by overlying non-stretch binding tapes 56, stitched to bind overlapping portions of abdomen apron 55 together.

The upper edges 40, 41, 42, 43 of the rear panels 19 and 20 are then overlapped or crossed over the center and stitched to each other at stitch lines 57, 58, to unite the upper edges 40, 41 along the upper edges of the face of the opposed panel, to aix these edges by the double elastic zig zag stitch line, providing a double-layered elastic fabric apron 59 over the vertical portion of the anal cleft line, with the arcuate edges 44, 45 from one panel unattached to the uppermost opposed leg seams 51, 52, respectively. Here the stitch lines S7 and 58, holding down the upper edges 40, 41 and apices 42, 43, preferably include elastic thread zig Zag stitches.

The garment is then completed, preferably edging the waistline and lower leg or thigh edges with elastic binding tape over folded edges of the fabric, as will be readily understood.

By the `foregoing construction, a garment having the unobvious advantages and utility is secured.

Particularly novel is the application of an elastic auginenting force of the modeling influence during articulation. Reference is particularly made to FIGURES 5 and 6 to illustrate such unobvious molding influence.

In FIGURE 5, the forward movement of the right limb is unrestrained along the right crotch line. The left limb tautens the apron 55 up to the anchor apex 30, to mold the abdomen. The same tautening action occurs in the movement of the left limb in lrelation to the right limb.

By reference to FIGURE 6, it will be apparent that the same cross pull over the medial portion of the garment exists to intensify the modeling influence across the buttocks during limb articulation as well as Crouching or sitting movement without gaping or riding, as in the case of a girdle, above the leg portions. Likewise, the slit or fly F of the edges 32 or 44, `45, hug the crotch line and anal cleft line without chang influence, to combine the utility of molding with this phase of utility of the garment.

It will be understood that while there has been described and preferred an over-center overlap of the thigh or leg anchored sleeve panels to opposite over-center positions of limited length, both frontally as well as rearwardly, it will be understood that such cross pull panels may, in a measure, be limited to` either front or back, or to full overlap of the upper `front and rear panels to the side edges of the garment. Such latter form is illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9.

In this latter embodiment, pattern blanks 16a, 17a, 19a, 20a are provided similar to pattern blanks 16, 17, 19 and 20, respectively, but the upper inner edges 53a, 54a, 57a and 58a are extended at the waistline to the full width of the garment, and then the edges 53a and 54a are joined to each other to form the waist, abdomen and buttocks covering loop assembly W, extending from the right side to the left `side over the center of the garment, with the thigh or leg loop, in joining a front left panel to a rear left panel at the seam line 51a. Then the edges 54a and 58a are joined to form the waist, abdomen and buttocks loop assembly W', extending from the left side to the right side of the garment, With the thigh or leg loop in joining a front right panel to a rear right panel at the seam line 52a. The side seams 48a, joining a front panel 16a and 19a and the side seam 50a, joining a rear panel 17a to a rear panel 20a, will serve to provide two independent units which may be nested `one within the other at the waistline, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. In donning and removing this embodiment, for dress or undress, the waistline and one leg portion may be manipulated one at a time, providing facility in dress or undress, while retaining the articulating influence previously described from the thighs to the abdomen or buttocks, and at the same time outlining a crotch and anal cleft fly F of resilient outline, which has the non-chang features already described. Such garment permits greater intensive elasticity to be provided rwithin the limits of comfortable labor for dress and undress.

Likewise it will be observed that the assemblies L and R may be nested, and when so assembled, the waistlines stitched together at `selected portions above the crotch, to approach the joining elect outlined in the preferred iirst embodiment. Accordingly, the construction contemplates including a Idouble-layered abdomen enveloping section :and/or a double-layered buttocks enveloping section which may extend substantially over the center from an opposite side, part way or for the full width of the garment, and be considered to be within the scope of the invention, where such cross pull extends to the opposite thigh lloop or leg portion, as described.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed `as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An elastic fabric undergarment extending from at least the waistline portion, over the abdomen portion, to below the thigh covering portions to provide waistline and abdomen enveloping sections and thigh sections comprising thigh enveloping sleeves, said undergarment having left and right iront panels, said panels each having outer vertical edges which extend from the waistline section Ito the lthigh sections, said panels also having upper inner edges extending over the abdomen covering portion and overlapping each other to provide a double-layered abdomen enveloping section and having upper edges forming a waistline, said panels having lower inner edges which are downwardly angularly extended substantially along the left and right crotch lines from one side of the abdomen covering section to provide a portion of the opposite thigh enveloping section elastioally Ialong the opposite thigh section, the lower inner edge of each said front panel being free from attachment to the opposite front panel at a point beneath the crotch enveloping portion of the garment, .a rear panel joined to said outer edges from the waistline section to the thigh sections, said thigh enveloping portions being extended to join with said rear panel to form tubular thigh enveloping sleeves.

2. An elastic fabric undergarment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lower inner edges are spaced apart along said crotch lines to provide 'an elastically outlined crotch fly defined by said lower inner edges.

3. A garment in accordance with claim 11 wherein the upper inner edges extend for the full width of the garment, to provide said double-layered enveloping section.

4. A garment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the upper inner edges extend for the full fwidth of the garment and are joined at opposite side edges to provide independent units, said units, in nested position one withinv the other, forming said doubledayered enveloping sections.

5. An elastic fabric undergarment extending from at least the waistline portion, over the abdomen portion and rear portion to below the thigh covering portions to provide waistline, abdomen and rear enveloping sections and thigh enveloping sleeves, said undergarment having left and right front and rear panels having outer vertical side edges which extend from the waistline section to the thigh sections, said front panels having upper inner edges extending over the abdomen covering portion and overlapping each other to provide a double layered abdomen enveloping section, and said rear panels having upper inner edges extending over the rear enveloping section and overlapping each other to provide a double layered rear enveloping section, the upper edges of said front and Arear panels forming a waistline, said front panels having lower inner edges downwardly angularly and arcuately extended along the crotch line yfrom one side of the abdomen covering section tof provide a portion of the opposite thigh enveloping section elastically along lthe opposite thigh section tto join with said rear panels and outline a thigh enveloping sleeve, the lower inner edge of each said front panel being free from attachment to the opposite front panel at a point beneath the crotch enveloping portion of the garment, the rear panels each having outer side edges -Which extend from the waist-line section to the thigh sections and having upper inner edges which extend over rear covering portions and overlap each other to provide a double-layered rear enveloping section below the 'waistline, said rear panels having lower inner edges which are downwardly and arcuately extended along the opposite crotch line and joined with the front panel sections into thigh enveloping sleeve sections.

6i. An elastic fabric undergarment extending from a waistline portion over the abdomen portion to below the thighs to provide waistline and abdomen enveloping sections and thigh enveloping sleeves, said undergarment having `front lleft and right panels having outer sides which extend from the waistline section to the thigh sections and the right panel having an inner side edge extending over the -left panel adjacent the abdomen sections and having a lower edge arcuately and angularly extending from the left abdomen covering section to provide a portion of the right thigh enveloping section along the right crotch section, the left side panel having an inner side edge extending under the right panel adjacent the abdomen section and having a lower edge arcuately and angular-ly extending `from the right abdomen covering section to provide a portion of the left thigh enveloping section along the crotch section, said left and right panels having Iupper edges forming a waistline following portion, said lower edges of each said panels being free from 'front attachment to the opposite panel at a point beneath the crotch enveloping area of the garment.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,104,584 Vickers July 2l, 1914 2,758,311 Studler Aug. 14, 1956 2,775,767 Gould Jan. 1, 1957 2,802,465 Brown Aug. 13, 1957 2,875,765 Lax Mar. 3, 1959 2,875,766 Lobbenberg Mar. 3, '1959 3,022,788 Darcey Feb. 27, 1962 

1. AN ELASTIC FABRIC UNDERGARMENT EXTENDING FROM AT LEAST THE WAISTLINE PORTION, OVER THE ABDOMEN PORTION, TO BELOW THE THIGH COVERING PORTIONS TO PROVIDE WAISTLINE AND ABDOMEN ENVELOPING SECTIONS AND THIGH SECTIONS COMPRISING THIGH ENVELOPING SLEEVES, SAID UNDERGARMENT HAVING LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT PANELS, SAID PANELS EACH HAVING OUTER VERTICAL EDGES WHICH EXTENDS FROM THE WAISTLINE SECTION TO THE THIGH SECTIONS, SAID PANELS ALSO HAVING UPPER INNER EDGES EXTENDING OVER THE ABDOMEN COVERING PORTION AND OVERLAPPING EACH OTHER TO PROVIDE A DOUBLE-LAYERED ABDOMEN ENVELOPING SECTION AND HAVING UPPER EDGES FORMING A WAISTLINE, SAID PANELS HAVING LOWER INNER EDGES WHICH ARE DOWNWARDLY ANGULARLY EXTENDED SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG THE LEFT AND RIGHT CROTCH LINES FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ABDOMEN COVERING SECTION TO PROVIDE A PORTION OF THE OPPOSITE THIGH ENVELOPING SECTION ELASTICALLY ALONG THE OPPOSITE THIGH SECTION, THE LOWER INNER EDGE OF EACH SAID FRONT PANEL BEING FREE FROM ATTACHMENT TO THE OPPOSITE FRONT PANEL AT A POINT BENEATH THE CROTCH ENVELOPING PORTION OF THE GARMENT, A REAR PANEL JOINED TO SAID OUTER EDGES FROM THE WAISTLINE SECTION TO THE THIGH SECTIONS, SAID THIGH ENVELOPING PORTIONS BEING EXTENDED TO JOIN WITH SAID REAR PANEL TO FORM TUBULAR THIGH ENVELOPING SLEEVES. 